Vrouw zittend op geladen ossenkar 1762

Jan Caspar Philips created this print using etching and engraving, both intaglio processes, which allowed for fine detail and tonal variation. The image is made by covering a metal plate with a waxy ground. The artist scratches an image into this ground, and then the plate is immersed in acid, which bites away the exposed metal. Ink is then applied and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, paper is pressed against the plate, transferring the image. The material reality of this print speaks to the social context of its production. These prints could be made in multiples, easily reproduced and distributed to a mass audience. Note the contrast between the woman elevated on the cart, and the laboring people and animals below. The artist’s technique is intrinsically linked to broader issues of labor, politics, and consumption. Consider how materials, making, and context all contribute to the artwork's full meaning, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.